Meijer LPGA Classic Sunday, June 20, 2021 Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA Blythefield Country Club Nelly Korda Press Conference Bounced back on 18. THE MODERATOR: Nelly, the 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic Q. I know you said there are a lot of times you would champion, your fifth LPGA Tour title. How does this one like kind of let the stress overwhelm you on a Sunday feel? like this. How did going into this playing free and having fun help you come out on top? NELLY KORDA: Feels good. Actually really enjoyed today. Honestly, there has been times where on Sundays I NELLY KORDA: You know, it's like an everyday kind of really like haven't enjoyed it, like the stress kind of ate me struggle. It's like one day you're with it, one day you're not. and I didn't stay in the moment and enjoy playing golf on a Some days you get more aggravated, some days you're Sunday in a final group. okay with the mistakes. Today fortunately I was okay with the mistakes. But today I really enjoyed it and it was actually a really good battle between Leona and I. She definitely kept me I knew there was still a lot of golf out there and I knew if I on my toes. hit the fairway I had a good opportunity at birdie. Q. I was going to say, the competition looked fierce. Q. So bounced back from missing the cut at the U.S. You guys provided great entertainment on CBS this Open, to come out here and set a tournament record, afternoon. What was it like competing head-to-head you seemed to be surprised when they told you you against her and just to have that battle back and forth had the lowest score in tournament history. Were you throughout the whole 18? surprised by that? NELLY KORDA: It was fun. As I said, she kept me on my NELLY KORDA: Definitely, yeah. If you told me at the toes. She played really well. She's a really solid player, U.S. Open that I was going to shoot 25-under I would be and hopefully everyone was entertained. I was pretty like, Yeah, right. entertained. A little stressed out, too, actually. But I did a good bit of work back home. My dad was at Q. There were a few times earlier in the front nine every practice, a little boot camp with my dad. He actually (indiscernible) How did you block that mentally, is in Prague right few doing a little boot camp with my especially after 16, too, when you bogeyed and she brother before Wimbledon. birdied to lock back in mentally with a few holes left and to put your foot down and finish off? So he's flying back and forth. I just worked on the right stuff and didn't really put too much pressure on myself this NELLY KORDA: Honestly, I didn't start the day off well. I week, which I did at U.S. Open. I guess that was the key. was not hitting fairways. I just -- the holes that I dominated Maybe I should learn from that again. on were the par-5s, I was scrambling for par. I told myself to stay in it, enjoy the moment, have fun. Talked to my Q. Earlier in the week you and Sophia had the caddie about anything just to kind of keep on going. opportunity to walk through the course and you mentioned how much fun you had with her when she Hit a shot at a time. That's what he kept saying. Shot at a came to visit in Florida and walking around in your time and see if I could get an opportunity here and there, practice round with her, to get this win in her and I did. I made an eagle and then I made a pretty good hometown after spending time with her, have you birdie on that par-3. Unfortunately I three-putted the next thought about how cool that is? hole, but that's golf. You're going to make mistakes. NELLY KORDA: Yeah, it was really cool. She was at a 109032-1-1041 2021-06-20 20:46:00 GMT Page 1 of 2 softball tournament and she texted my sister when I was perfectly that when something is off just a little bit I get so on at 18, and she said she ran through the third fairway angry at myself and so hard on myself. just to get to the green to watch me win, so that was really cool to see her and for her to be there. Today I was like, Okay, we take it how it is and just enjoy the moment. Q. In terms of the Olympic team, pretty much a certainty now. (Indiscernible.) Q. How do you see this new mentality helping you at KPMG next week? NELLY KORDA: I still have a big event before that, so KPMG is next week. That's a major. That's what I'm NELLY KORDA: As I said, every week is a little different, focusing on. Wherever it takes me, I'll go. so hopefully I carry it into next week. Q. You talked about the nerves a little bit. Q. With the win, Meijer will be donating $25,000 in (Indiscernible). Touch on that a little bit. I know when your honor to a food bank of your choice. You've you saw that shot nearly go in the bunker had to... selected Kids Food Basket in Grand Rapids. First off, why staying in the Grand Rapids area instead of your NELLY KORDA: Yeah, definitely, right as I hit it I was like, home town, and what made Kids Food Basket the Oh, no. I didn't have a good lie. Honestly one foot was in choice? the bunker and I had to grip down on the shaft, so I hit it good and I got myself into birdie opportunity. This is NELLY KORDA: I just felt like I wanted to stay in Grand actually the first time I've made a putt to win, so that felt Rapids. And also I love kids. I've always wanted to do nice, too. something for unprivileged kids, and that's the first thing that popped into my head. Q. So you talked about you can feel the presence of the fans out there. Talk about the impact of them I felt like it was a good decision. positively and negatively, for instance on the 16th. You couldn't see the green. You hit it up there. The Q. Last one I have for you: You are the first two-time fans down low with you, they cheered. Fans up top, winner on the LPGA Tour this season. Just how silence. How that impacted you. difficult is it to find the winner's circle and how much more enjoyable are you finding it after some of that NELLY KORDA: Honestly, I love the fans. I missed that new perspective? so much throughout the past year and a half. On 17 they were really giving my a lot of confidence. They were NELLY KORDA: Competition is getting fiercer every year. screaming my name, telling me, Let's go. When you get a You see Patty won her first tournament and she's a major crowd like that that's on your side it feels good and puts a champion and she is pretty much a rookie. So the rookies smile on your face and kind of eases you. out here are playing well. Leona is playing well. Everyone. Doesn't matter what nationality, Europeans are playing As well as the opposite. When you have a lot of people well, Americans are getting fierce. watching you could get a little nervous, so it was a little bit of both. I just think the girls are just starting to dominate. You go into a week back in the day I think you would say, oh, five Q. You shared yesterday how much Bubba's or ten people could win. Now you look at the field and perspective resonated with you. Were there any you're like, Anyone can take home the victory. moments in particular that his words helped you process? THE MODERATOR: Anything else anybody? Thank you for your coverage this week. Nelly, congratulations on the NELLY KORDA: I just think today -- I just enjoyed myself win. Nice travels. honestly. I just kept telling myself, If I make a mistake, it's golf. Come on, it's golf. Like just keep on going. It's golf. NELLY KORDA: Bye. That kind of like eased me up. FastScripts by ASAP Sports And I just had fun with my caddie. I was laughing out there a good bit, which on Sundays when I'm in the final group I forget to smile and laugh and I'm so zoned in on hitting these perfect shots and making sure I execute everything 109032-1-1041 2021-06-20 20:46:00 GMT Page 2 of 2.